NLCS Notebook

Vaughn improving, but still day-to-day

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Posted: Sunday October 11, 1998 01:02 AM

Feeling retro: Vaughn, sporting a throwback San Diego uniform, may be able to afford another day's rest with the Padres up 3-0 AP

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- San Diego slugger Greg Vaughn, who hasn't played since straining a left quadriceps in the opener of the National League championship series, continues to improve.

"He's better, he took batting practice today, he's available to pinch hit," manager Bruce Bochy said before the Padres beat the Atlanta Braves 4-1 Saturday to take a 3-0 lead in the NLCS.

When asked how soon Vaughn might return to the starting lineup, Bochy replied, "He mentioned tomorrow, we'll re-evaluate him. He's really responding to treatment."

Vaughn, injured in the fourth inning Wednesday night, became the 27th major leaguer to reach the 50-homer plateau and was one of four this season.

John Vander Wal, making his first start in left field since September 18, replaced Vaughn and threw a strike to catcher Jim Leyritz in the third to nail Walt Weiss attempting to score from second on a two-out single by Chipper Jones.

It was just the second outfield assist of the season for Vander Wal and his first outfield assist at home plate since July 15, 1992.

Neagle furious over rumor

Denny Neagle, 16-11 with a 3.55 ERA during the regular season, will make his first appearance of the postseason Sunday when he starts against the Padres.

Neagle was furious following Game 3, but not because the Braves lost, although he certainly wasn't pleased about that.

He was angry because he had heard it speculated that if the Braves fell behind 3-0, they might bring back Game 1 starter John Smoltz on three days' rest -- apparently something that wasn't considered.

"I think I've done some pretty good things myself the last three years," Neagle said. "I know my job. I've got to go out there and win one ballgame tomorrow. All we can do is try to win one game at a time now."

Leyritz unhappy, too

San Diego's Jim Leyritz was angry after the game -- at Atlanta pitcher Greg Maddux, who hit him with a pitch with two outs and nobody on base in the fourth.

Leyritz was struck on the left shoulder by Maddux's first pitch, and glared at the mound and spoke to the pitcher on his way to first base.

"You'll have to read my lips," Leyritz said with a smile when asked what he told Maddux.

Leyritz said he believed Maddux hit him intentionally because he had asked for umpire Tom Hallion to check the ball.

"He went to his mouth, his hat, and his mouth again," Leyritz said. "You wonder sometimes why his ball moves so well. He took offense to it, I guess. I'm not going to pursue it any further. But I thought it was cheap."

Loud and clear

An announced crowd of 62,779 -- third largest for a baseball game in Qualcomm Stadium history -- attended the game, and Padres outfielder Tony Gwynn said he has never heard a louder crowd in San Diego.

"Right from the beginning, they were electric," said Gwynn, the only remaining Padres player from the team that played Detroit in the 1984 World Series. "They give you a boost as a player."

Atlanta's Andres Galarraga agreed.

"No question, they help a lot, give their players motivation," Galarraga said.

Running on empty

For the second time in three games, Atlanta manager Bobby Cox was short on position players in the late innings, and it cost the Braves.

In Game 1, Cox had to use pitcher Tom Glavine as a pinch hitter in the 10th inning of a 3-2 loss because he had no position players left.

On Saturday, with one out and the bases loaded in the eighth and the Padres leading 2-1, Keith Lockhart, a left-handed hitter, stayed in the game against left-handed reliever Randy Myers and popped out to short left field.

The only position players left at that time were right-handed hitting Javy Lopez and left-handed hitting Ozzie Guillen, and Lopez was used as a pinch hitter for the batter after Lockhart -- pitcher John Rocker.

Wrong jersey

Greg Maddux, Atlanta's four-time Cy Young Award winner who pitched Saturday for the Braves, wore outfielder Gerald Williams' No. 27 blue jersey during batting practice.

"I don't know," Williams said when asked why. "He asked me."

"Don't worry about it," Maddux said with a smile when asked the reason. "Mine didn't come."

Maddux wore his own gray uniform top during the game.

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